Here in Downtown Campbell, a number of our restaurants in are switching from being dine-in restaurants to take-out and food delivery services. After being quarantined, you're really starting to yearn for a taste of your former life, but you hesitate because you're not sure if it's safe to do so.
Is it safe to eat take-out food during the Covid-19 pandemic?
While it's up to you to make the final call on this, we quote some reputable sources in saying that take-out food and food delivery is safe to consume. The Covid-19 virus is a respiratory virus that's predominantly transmitted through inhaling respiratory droplets emitted by infected individuals. The chance of transmission through food is unlikely and there have been no known incidences of Covid-19 transmission from eating food. There have also been no known incidences of SARS (close cousin of Covid-19) transmission through food.
The food itself may be a low risk, but encountering other people on your way to receiving your food is not a low risk so please be mindful of how much distance you are giving other people including the people who are working to get you your orders. Remember, we're not just concerned for your safety, we're also concerned about ours as well. Please stay six feet away and absolutely do not leave your home if you are sick.
References
- Food Safety and Coronavirus: A Comprehensive Guide (Serious Eats)
- Are food deliveries and groceries safe during coronavirus pandemic? Yes, experts say (CNN)
- Covid-19 Food Safety (US Department of Agriculture)
- Coronavirus: no evidence that food is a source or transmission route (European Food Safety Authority)
